About Our Head Chef James Greatorex and L’Ortolan in Reading

Located in the village of Shinfield, near the M4’s Junction 11, L’Ortolan is Reading’s only Michelin starred restaurant. Our restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike, and we guarantee you’ll love the dishes served up by head chef James Greatorex in our Reading dining rooms. James aims to produce a mouthful of complementary flavors with every dish he cooks. In addition to our award-winning food our restaurant offers three uniquely styled function rooms for corporate and private events.

The restaurant is situated in a grade II listed building that is surrounded by stunning landscaped gardens. We are a short drive from Junction 11 of the M4 motorway, in the village of Shinfield, but if you need directions to reach us, just give us a call.

James Greatorex at L'Ortolan

James Greatorex has always had a strong connection with cooking and food, stemming all the way from his childhood. Here at L’Ortolan James joined us in his first senior role and has now moved on to be our Head Chef. James and his team are constantly striving to offer the best produce and tastiest ingredients available, whether that be the remarkable Scottish langoustine or our freshly picked garden herbs, quality and flavour is always key’

Whether you’re looking for a romantically luxurious dining experience to enjoy with your partner, or want to make the most of your trip to Reading, you won’t be disappointed by the delights offered by L’Ortolan and our head chef James Greatorex in this Berkshire food destination.

What’s on Offer at L’Ortolan?

Our head chef James Greatorex in his Berkshire residency at L’Ortolan is a good enough reason alone to visit the restaurant. But our attention to detail goes beyond James and the crew of accomplished chefs we employ. We dazzle our guests with style and luxury from the second they step through the door - which is why we have three uniquely styled dining rooms for you to choose from: the Champagne Room, Glass Room and Wine Cellar.

We can host large parties by offering the Main Restaurant and Glass Room together, and we don’t charge extra for the privilege of hiring an exclusive room. However, if you’re hosting a select few guests, we’re sure you’ll be happy with what’s on offer in our Champagne Room.

We’re one of the best-rated restaurants in Berkshire thanks to the talent of our team, stunning location and magical atmosphere. This serves to make us the top choice for dining experiences, ranging from relaxed lunches to special occasions.

At L’Ortolan we strive on catering for all types of dietary needs including vegetarians. We don’t just aim to write a menu solely for vegetarians. We write menus that incorporate vegetarian dishes into our menus with an emphasis on

seasonal vegetables we use a range of different techniques on vegetables to create a host of different flavors. At the same time personal preference makes a big difference to the customers, therefore we always try to accommodate to personal tastes.

If you would like to try a selection of our award winning dishes, then you may be interested in choosing our Chef's 10 course discovery menu.

In addition to dining reservations we offer unique cooking experiences, allowing guests to get acquainted with Michelin star cooking. If you would like to know more about our menus, private dining experiences or cooking master classes, don't hesitate to give us a call.

Discover more about the best restaurant in reading

We're widely accredited as one of the best restaurants Berkshire has to offer because of the attention to detail we put into every aspect of our venue, from the stylish decorations and gardens to the unique culinary delights rustled up by our head chef James Greatorex.
When You Can Enjoy a Meal from Head Chef James Greatorex in Reading. Read more about restaurants Reading.

You can taste the delights rustled up by our head chef James Greatorex from Tuesdays to Saturdays, and our opening times are as follows:-

Lunch open from 12:00noon

Tuesday – Thursday last sitting at 1:30pm

Friday and Saturday last sitting at 2:00pm

Dinner open from 7:00pm

Tuesday – Thursday last sitting at 8:30pm.

Friday and Saturday last sitting at 9:00pm.

Reserve your table or event at L’Ortolan

Even though we close on Sundays and Mondays, we can host private events and gatherings on those days if arranged in advance. So, call us today on 01189 888 500 to book a meal served up by our extremely talented head chef James Greatorex in Reading. Read more about Restaurants in Reading.